Which Diabetic Drugs Cause Kidney Problems?

Diabetic FAQ recommends contacting your doctor immediately if you’re feeling bad from any drug, whether it’s prescribed or not.

Uncontrolled diabetes itself is a major cause of kidney problems. Diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage due to diabetes) is one of the most serious diabetic complications.

Derailed blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels in kidneys leading to kidney failure. To add insult to injury, some anti-diabetes drugs have also been reported to affect the kidney functions.

Although, we still lack a strong clinical evidence of the diabetic drugs related to kidney failure, some drugs have shown to have such effects. Kidney is the waste-bin of your body.

Most drugs are secreted through the kidneys so they can damage kidney structure. It’s important to know that not all brands are equally responsible for kidney-related side effects. There are just certain brands or a certain combination of drugs that have shown to exacerbate renal dysfunction. Otherwise, other drugs are safe in terms of kidneys’ health.

Some insulin preparations including invokana (gliflozin), byetta (exenatide) and some brands of metformin are among the main nephrotoxic drugs (drugs that can potentially damage the kidneys). These drugs start accumulating in the kidneys, destroying their structures and gravely compromising their functions.

Podocytes are the main cells in the kidneys. Some research studies have linked high blood sugar levels to podocytes damage. Byetta and invokana directly interact with podocytes leaving them damaged. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that invokana can cause serious kidney damage to a person with diabetes.

FDA has received many reports of patients using invokana who afterwards developed pyelonephritis (infection of kidneys). Due to unknown reasons, invokana makes it possible for bacteria and viruses to enter the kidneys and cause their structural and functional deterioration. Hence, you must consult your doctor before starting any drugs for any possible kidney damage.